Deltarune: An Innocent Wish
by Birdofterror
Summary: Kris, lonely and without anyone or anything to turn to, makes a fleeting wish upon a passing star. When they awaken, everything seems... better than before. Their wish appears to come true, in a strange way. But as their life passes by, major differences occur. Sometimes friends can know you better than you know yourself, dark truths best left buried.
1. An Innocent Wish

**Credit Note:** _The original universe of Undertale and Deltarune, along with all of the characters within, belong to Toby Fox. The usage of the picture "Vessel" is credited to MarshieMonarch on Deviantart._

* * *

Deltarune: An Innocent Wish  
Chapter 1: An Innocent Wish

Kris lies in bed. At their feet at the end of the room is the light tapping of an entity beyond their control. At least, beyond their control sometimes. Kris, their face ragged and tired, their eyes traveling a million miles ahead peering through stray spaces in the spillage of their hair. It's been a long day… and today was a weekend. Tomorrow is Monday. School. Kris closes their eyes, a stray tear escaping and tapping onto the pillow.

They almost fall asleep, but the cage rattles a little bit, shocking them awake. That dumb heart woke them up again. Half asleep and frazzled, something catches their eye.

"Ngh…?" They mumble, removing the blanket and walking towards the window. Kris slept in their clothes again… but regardless, moves the curtain to see a bright, but not blinding star in the sky. Something about it, burning gold and twinkling from four sides… they get an idea.

Monster magic exists… why not celestial magic…? Kris, still tired, half asleep, and more than anything- desperate… gets on their knees and prays.

"Please… I want… a friend… who understands me… and wants what's best for me… someone I can love…" Kris mumbles. Before long, another stray tear falls, and they wipe their eyes before crawling back into bed exhausted.

* * *

Kris wakes up and throws their blanket off. Before immediately noticing something wrong. In a cold sweat and a shock of anxiety they jump out of bed. How long have they been asleep?! They don't remember being taken by the soul! Kris looks around for a calendar or something but looks instead at the cage.

It's… empty…?

Kris, mouth open, looks at the empty cage as the door to their room opens, showing a shocked Toriel.

"Kris…? You're awake?" Her expression is one of genuine surprise before it fades to being pleased.  
"Mom? I'm… huh… I guess I… am?" Kris says, confused. Toriel frowns however.  
"You slept in your clothes again, Kris… but at least you didn't take so long to wake up today. Normally I have to try to wake you up over and over, and then on the third go I have to open the curtain! But you're up early, we actually have an hour before we leave. I cleaned a pair of clothes for you, why not take a shower, my child?" Toriel lets out. Kris, blinking once, nods.

"Okay. Thanks mom." Kris says with an extremely faint, but noticeable smile. Toriel notices it and can't help but smile back, closing the door. When it's closed, a bead of sweat drops to the floor.

 **WHERE'S THE SOUL?**

* * *

Kris exits the shower and gets dressed. They haven't bathed in about a week, or at least they don't think they have. They haven't had this much concurrent freedom in an extremely long time. It almost feels kind of strange. They leave the bathroom, their hair poofy from the shampoo to the point where their striking red eyes can actually be visibly seen. Toriel notices and smiles, her smile however, hidden behind a book she's reading. She doesn't want to embarrass Kris, but it's been such a long time since she's seen their eyes.

"Good morning my child. I trust you feel refreshed. We still have half an hour until we have to go to school." Toriel states.  
"Hey mom. Do you mind if I step outside for a bit?"  
"Of course, Kris. Just remember we have school."  
"Thanks, mom."

Kris steps outside of the house to be blasted by a small gust of cool air. Their recently dried (but still kind of wet) skin recoils from the chill and they shiver a small bit, but shortly gets comfortable again. Kris looks around. They don't expect to see the soul just sitting around or anything, but it couldn't hurt to spend a few minutes of the morning checking things out.

Kris walks down the street, being greeted by the neighbors. Not all of them, since it's still very early and the sun is only partially peeking over the eastern lake. They look around the town for a little bit before realizing they should probably go to school, and as if to summon the devil himself, their phone rings. Kris answers it.

"Kris, honey? It's time to go to school. You can play after class. I'll meet you there, I'm driving now."  
"Alright, mom. I'll be there."

* * *

With a perk in their step, Kris begins to go to school without that damn heart getting in the way like it always does. Kris, with an uncharacteristic smile, greets the townspeople, who knowing Kris are shocked, but pleased and wave back!

For so long, Kris has just been going through the motions, being kind of a loner and even admits they were kind of weird, but ever since they had that dream last night, they feel like an entirely different person.

Maybe people… CAN change who they are in this world!

* * *

Kris enters their classroom, most of the kids here only just got here and aren't even sitting yet, the light bustle of activity fills the room. Kris walks to his desk before being noticed.

"HOI Kris!" Temmie lets out. Kris waves. Noelle walks over.  
"Oh, you're early, Kris. Did you do your weekend homework?" Noelle asks. Kris's expression turns ice cold and she diverts her eyes and breaks into a wiggly smile.  
"Well, I can help if you want."  
"That would be great, thanks." Kris says, Noelle looking back, surprised. Kris hasn't taken up her offer in a long time. In fact, she cocks her head a little bit, and under her vision, she can make out Kris's eyes.  
"Hmm?" Kris mumbles. Noelle waves her hand.  
"Nothing! Uh, we have about 5 minutes until class starts. It's just some simple history lessons." Kris sits down and scoots his desk over to Noelle's and takes out their unfinished homework. Noelle goes over it slightly.

"It's about the human war a long time ago. Um, it's not awkward to talk about it, is it?" Noelle asks.  
"I guess not. It happened, it's important to know about." Kris says. Noelle smiles.  
"I agree. But yeah, it's just a recap of the events of the war. Monsters started the war and didn't hold back, and before long only a very few amount of humans were left. Ravaged by the conflict, the guilty monsters sought to atone, but many humans ran from this world, disappearing into the heavens. Well, that last part is more of a poetic retelling than a literal logical explanation. But the basics are about how-" Noelle goes on as the classroom door opens, miss Alphys entering.

Kris very quickly scoots his desk back with a blush and hurriedly fills in a few lines. The details are always vague to Kris. He didn't just forget the weekend homework, he kind of forgot the war, like he only just kind of remembered it today. But regardless, he fills it out and run to the teacher's desk before she sits down.

Alphys nods and puts it with the rest. "Very good, Kris. Class is about to start, take your seat everyone!" She says to the class as everyone sits down, including Kris. Alphys looks around before frowning.

"Susie isn't back yet, I sent her to get chalk with…" Alphys says, coming to a realization.  
"Oh, right. Class, they aren't here yet, but we're expecting a new student today! They're with Susie getting chalk at the moment. I'm sure they'll be back any minute. Anyway. Everyone pair up. Whoever is left out… hmm… I suppose we can form a group of three."

Alphys instructs the class and people gravitate towards each other. To Berdly's annoyance, Noelle agreed to be both Kris AND his assistant. Making a smug face; he balks.

"Just sit back and relax, Kris! You get to watch me get us an A!"  
"Berdly, that's not nice! Kris can help!" Noelle grumbles. They all pair up and class proceeds as Alphys avoids the chalkboard. Those two are awfully late.


	2. A Dark Beginning

Deltarune: An Innocent Wish  
Chapter 2: A Dark Beginning

* * *

Kris, Noelle, and Berdly pair up and get through a minor history project on the human genocide. Kris creates little clay men with his hands, while Noelle prefers origami monsters, while Berdly in an undeniable show of skill has created stereoscopic 3D environments by using two contrasting pieces of construction paper. Kris almost blushes at how inadequate his work is by comparison, but to his surprise, Berdly walks up behind him and puts a wing on his shoulder.

"It's not as bad as I thought it'd be. You even made spears for the humans, like in the old legend. Way to keep a level head, Kris, now excuse me, let **ME** set everything up so we don't get a B+ instead, hyuk hyuk." He cackles, but Kris honestly lets him have this one and scoots his clay men over. He wipes his forehead of sweat, but Noelle doesn't seem as amused. She raises her hand, beckoning Alphys' attention.

"Yes Noelle?"  
"Miss Alphys, may I go looking for Susie and the new kid?" Noelle asks, piquing Kris's interest.  
"Hmm. W-Well, they have been gone a long time. Sure, go ahead. I sent them to the supply closet at the end of the hall." She says, but Kris also raises his hand.  
"Kris?"  
"Can I go with Noelle? Berdly is finishing up our project and I figure Noelle could use an extra set of eyes." He explains. Alphys looks away in thought.  
"I mean it couldn't hurt I guess, Berdly are you okay with-"  
"Doing it alone? **Please.** " Berdly states overtly. Alphys shrugs.  
"Very well, go ahead. The project ends in ten minutes." Alphys allows them the freedom to look for their fellow students.

* * *

Outside of the classroom, Noelle and Kris begin looking around. The school seems a little darker than it should. One of the nearby light bulbs must have burnt out. Kris, using some sixth sense, begins to shiver.

"Noelle, I have a bad feeling about this." Kris says. Noelle looks back.  
"Huh? Are you trying to prank me again?" She says with an innocent but somewhat annoyed smile. Kris diverts his eyes. He doesn't know how to explain it without appearing insane so he just walks forward with her. The school seems to get darker the closer they get to the closed closet. Something is very wrong.

By the time they get to the door, it's so dark they can't even see it. Noelle feels around and finds the knob. She turns it and Kris gulps, closing his eyes.

…But he opens them again. Noelle keeps trying to open the door but it seems locked from the inside. Kris walks over and helps her out, but it won't budge, it's as if it's being held shut from the inside.

"Ngh, it won't budge!" Kris grunts. Noelle wipes her brow of sweat and gets an idea.  
"Kris, please stand back." She asks. Kris does as she says and stands behind her. Noelle raises her hands and a small influx of monster magic appears in her palms.

"W-Woah, Noelle, you're gonna bust down the door? Isn't that a tad extreme? We don't even know if they're in there!" Kris protests, but Noelle's eyes are fixated with a strange determination.

"You can feel it… can't you?"  
"Huh?"  
"They ARE in there…!"  
"…" Kris pauses for a second and nods. Noelle's attack reaches full power and she launches a ball of monster ice at the doorknob, shattering it like glass, and causing the door to shoot open!

 **An infinite amount of dark energy explodes outwards, knocking both of them back, deafening their screams, and flooding the halls with shadow. The school is being devoured!**

* * *

The entire earth shaking, Toriel turns her head towards the hallway outside! The scream of kindergarteners in her class soon picks up and her first instinct is to protect them! Without a second breath, she launches monster magic at a nearby wall, blowing a hole in it! The normally calm and pacifist Toriel earns the awe of her entire class as she commands them to run through the wall as the dark shadows violate the light around the school, tendrils of darkness slowly pouring from under the classroom door!

Toriel escapes with the children, and the police are already on the scene.

"NGAHHH! WHAT'S GOING ON?!" Undyne asks as the children huddle around Toriel and cry.  
"I have no idea, please, save the school, my child is in there, so many children are in there, I saved what I could!"  
"That's great, but this is a job for us now!" Undyne growls, running towards the school as the dark tentacles embrace the school, busting through windows, shattering glass and wrapping around the brick walls, causing cracks and moans from the stone and metal inside! Undyne and a small platoon of officers begin launching monster magic at it, to no avail!

From behind them, Asgore runs up. Toriel looks back with a look of dread in her eye, she need not say anything for him to understand the situation. With a look of rare seriousness, Asgore teams up with the officers and launches a barrage of attacks at the darkness himself! Toriel calms the children down and does the same!

What was once doing nothing appears to at least have minor effect, as the tentacles that sought to creep out from the school hiss and burn away in a small flash of light. Before long however, the world underneath them begins to quake again! This time it vibrates enough to knock them off their feet! Undyne takes a knee, keeping her eyes on the school as something occurs!

With gasps and screams abound, an explosion occurs causing a pillar of darkness to fire up from the roof of the school! It hits the clouds above them and this beautiful morning is eclipsed in dark, sick clouds!

"NGAHHH! This isn't good, we have no idea what this thing is capable of! All of you, civilians and officers, fall back!" Undyne commands!

 **"WHAT?!** My son is in there!" Toriel yells. Undyne, in an extreme display of empathy, frowns and begins to tear up, surprising Toriel.

"We're doing everything we can, damn it, it's not just your family in there, Toriel, it's all of our families…!"  
"…I… Alright. Children, come. It's not safe here." Toriel herds the children and runs away from the area, leaving the police and Asgore to fall back once they're sure the tentacles have stopped.

 **The entire school is smothered in darkness so thick, the fact that it was once a building is impossible to tell. It's a darkness so absolute that no detail can be made out, as if it was simply a death of all things light.**

* * *

Kris shakes his head, rising to his hands and knees. He looks around, his heart and head both pounding. He musters the strength to stand up before noticing he's in a strange area. It's dark in all directions, the only light being immediately around him. He takes a step forward before hearing a clank. He looks down to notice he's in a suit of armor…!

"What the…? Noelle? Noelle!" He yells out, getting no response. Knowing nothing about where he is, he continues forward regardless. Why does this place seem so familiar? It's as if he saw it in a dream… small balls dance on cliffs around him, giggling and making noises. He walks more forward, sliding down cliffs and whatnot before arriving at the base of a mountain, something catching his vision on the horizon. A pillar of dark light. He's drawn to it and goes in that direction before noticing something, or someone off the side of his vision.

"WHO GOES THERE?!" Kris yells, blowing open a nearby dust bush!  
"GAH!" Noelle, spooked, jumps out and starts bonking on Kris's head and slapping at his body with her eyes closed and her voice stuttering!  
"Noelle! Ack, it's me, Kris! Stop! You're safe!" He says, grabbing her hands. She looks over and takes a huge breath. She backs away and clears her throat, attempting to forget that just happened.

"Yeah, I guess, but what is this place?" She asks. Kris notices Noelle is wearing different stuff too. A suit of leather armor studded with rings and polished to a reflective finish, while in her left hand appears to be what looks like a bow and arrow. Kris shakes his head and answers her.

"I have no idea, but it seems almost… familiar somehow. Come on, we have to keep moving, this place CANT be safe, we shouldn't stay still for too long."  
"A-Alright. Lead the way. I'll uh… watch your back."  
"Then who will watch **your** back?" Kris asks.  
"…" Noelle gulps, and decides to walk besides Kris instead. They walk forward, towards the outline of a small village in front of them.


	3. A New Legend

Deltarune: An Innocent Wish  
Chapter 3: A New Legend

Kris and Noelle walk hesitantly into what appears to be a town from the west side, before realizing they aren't alone. Several strange looking monsters- at least she thinks they're monsters- are around the town, and the buildings are cracked and ruined. Noelle, trusting, doesn't hesitate to walk up to one of them. It appears to have a diamond shaped head and a small spear. He notices her and points his weapon at her.

"Halt! What business does one such as you have here?"  
"Oh, is this place off limits? We didn't come here on purpose… we're looking for our friends."  
"Friends? You look… wait. You look like the other two that came by earlier, Ves and Susie!" The strange creature lets out, dropping his spear. Noelle's eyes light up and Kris comes out of hiding.

"Susie, yes, she's the one we're looking for, and Ves, that must be the name of our new student, Kris! Where are they mister…?" Noelle asks, but the guard shakes his head with a doofy smile.

"My name isn't important, but follow that road east past the great door, and you'll meet them. They're at the card castle. They've reached a series of exciting agreements with our king, and I think they're doing a fantastic job! We didn't trust Lightners at first, but your friends sure changed our minds, and that of our king!" He explains. Noelle looks over at Kris.

"Hear that, Kris? SUSIE… of all people… appears to have made an excellent diplomat."  
"Yeah… that sounds… amazing!" Kris says, stunned at the revelation. Thanking the guard, the two begin to leave the town, but they hear something that catches them off guard.

"D-Don't go!" They hear from far away. A voice that sounds despaired.  
"What was that?" Noelle looks back. The guard gets in her way.  
"Nothing. A prisoner, don't worry about their words." He explains as the prisoner from far away cries out again.

"Lightners! Your friends, Ves and Susie, they aren't doing good things, they're doing bad things! The balance is upset, please! Listen to m- **OOF!** " The noise of the boy from far away being stifled from what can be interpreted as physical harm.

"C-Come on Kris, let's go." Noelle lets out, not wanting to take the words of a prisoner as fact.  
"…No." Kris objects.  
"What?" Noelle looks back.  
"What was that?!" The guard threatens, pulling a spear, but Kris draws his sword! Noelle, trusting Kris's instincts, joins him. It's a battle!

* * *

Noelle pulls out her bow and arrow and stands next to Kris! The guard whistles and soon other diamond-shaped Darkners appear at his side! They launch a barrage of magical attacks, and Kris, who would normally utilize their heart- finds themselves bereft of such a utility, and instead conjures a shield from pure willpower to block the attack for himself and Noelle! Noelle, utilizing the cover, jumps and fires a barrage of arrows at the enemies! They scatter like bugs! Kris, still drawn to the strange prisoner's words, charges northwards towards the castle, only to be met by more guards!

Kris throws his shield at them, having it bounce between their heads and knocking them unconscious, leaving one in the middle! He arches to strike him down with his blade-

"I yield, Lightner! Please spare me!" He begs. Kris lowers his blade and waves his hand, causing the soldier to run away. As he does that however, even MORE show up! But they're almost at the end of the town, a fence made of hastily gathered materials show a being inside crying for help, but with no air in his lungs to do so!

"Lightners, you dare betray Ves's oath to order?! Our king will have your head!"  
"I don't know who Ves is, and I'm going to get a straight answer even if it means clobbering all of you jailors!" Kris says, and Noelle uses this speech as a distraction to line up a shot that fires true, whistling and piercing the air with a ray of light, instantly blasting one of the guards away. The other two launch magical attacks at Kris, who cartwheels to dodge one, and raises his shield to block another, causing Noelle to jump over his bulwark and shoot the spears out of the other two guards' hands! Panicked, they run away!

* * *

They reach the end of the room and come to the cell made of wood and metal. Kris slices down with his sword, blasting off the lock. The being inside stumbles out, out of breath, but thankful. They wear a green cloak and similarly green hat, with a pink scarf.

"Thank you… my name… is Prince Ralsei… and I once ruled this kingdom, waiting for the heroes of prophesy to one day come." He says, getting his breath back.

"Wow, hear that, Kris? We saved a prince! What were you doing locked up?"  
"The last two Lightners who showed up… who you two recognize as Susie and Ves… they passed by hours ago, and in that short time have already made this… much much worse…" Ralsei groans.

"Worse? But that guard said things were made much better." Kris asks. Ralsei shakes his head.  
"The balance has been upset… the second fountain is gushing out dark energy unchecked… I fear what it will do to the Lightner world above…" Ralsei explains, as Noelle and Kris remember-

"When we opened the door… our school, the darkness exploded out and nearly killed us!" Kris explains.  
"It's as I feared… the Earth is quaking, and desperate to achieve balance, is opening more and more of the Lightner world into the Darkner world in a hope to restore the balance… it's no mere accident that you two have come here. While normally, events of this magnitude would take years to get this bad, your friends have made conscious efforts to feed this darkness… while this is cause for celebration for most Darkners, I, as a prince, recognize the terrible truth. We need the Lightners, and should they all disappear, so shall we. I'm sorry to ask this of you so soon after your rescue… but please, we must march East to stop your Lightner friends from upsetting the balance further, we must seal the fountain and send all four of you home!" Ralsei begs. Noelle steps forward and nods.

"Okay. If it's how we can get home, and save our school, and your people, then we will, Ralsei." She says, Kris nods as well.  
"Yeah. I feel like… I have to do this. Something about this Ves person is…" Kris trails off. Noelle looks over.  
"Huh? Kris?"  
"It's not important. But we're with you, Ralsei!" He says with a smile. Ralsei smiles as well and blushes.

"That's wonderful! It's a bit late, but I'm glad the REAL heroes of prophesy arrived! Come, we have no time to waste!"

* * *

 **Meanwhile…**

The card castle, tall and within the core of it is the Fountain of Darkness, unleashed at its truest potential and pouring dark energy not just into this world, but the surrounding Lightner World as well.

An individual in white furred armor plated with dark metal stands at the precipice of the dark energy, the dark waves washing over him like water. Before him is his unlikely compatriot, Susie. Wearing her purple and black vest with spiked armbands.

"He's here." The person in front of Susie says.  
"Huh? Who's here?"  
"Kris…"  
"Kris? HAHAHA, who cares? That wimp can't even tie his shoes. Don't worry about him, Ves." She laughs, showing her yellowed teeth. But Ves looks back, unamused, his striking red eyes glowing in the dark. He turns around completely, holding the **Red Soul.**

"Kris is more dangerous to our efforts that either of us can possibly comprehend."  
"…Whatever. I'll go talk with the King and Lancer, send out a regiment of Darkners to just be done with that pussy." She insults, turning away.  
"No… wait. There is another. A girl." Ves says, his eyes darting back and forth, as if being told these details from the fountain itself.  
"Tall… antlers…"  
"Noelle? Kris and Noelle? SERIOUSLY? You couldn't have put together a more pansy-ass group! Noelle's a sweet girl, wouldn't hurt a fly- I won't even need soldiers, I'll go take care of them myself, maybe throw 'em in prison until we're done. I'm going to the fields. Don't wait up." Susie says, disappearing from sight. Ves closes his eyes and turns back to the fountain.

"Kris, my friend. Just a little bit longer… and I'll make both of our dreams come true…"


	4. Vs Susie

Deltarune: An Innocent Wish  
Chapter 4: Vs Susie

* * *

Noelle, Ralsei, and Kris travel east and pass through a busted down giant golden door.

"This is terrible…" Noelle states. Ralsei responds with a sad face.  
"When the original two Lightners- your friends, came here, I tried to prevent them from leaving because, instead of following the prophesy or even ignoring it, the one with the red soul actively went against my wishes and made a promise to unleash the full potential of the dark fountain." Ralsei explains, causing Kris to look over.

"W-Wait, did you say… red soul?"  
"Yes, Ves I think he said his name was, using powers I can't even fully explain, he broke the great door in a fell swoop, and the girl with him followed him in… since then I waited here for the true heroes to arrive, but before you could get here, the foreign kingdom invaded through the door. I'm glad you guys saved me, though." Ralsei explains further. Kris stands still as the other two walk onwards. Noelle looks back.

"Kris?"  
"It… can't be…" He says to himself. He looks over at Noelle, and before she can ask again he runs up to her.  
"Sorry, let's go."

* * *

They pass into a field and the smell of candy hits their noses. Noelle closes her eyes and her small nose twitches. However, she's not amused.

"There's lots of… enemies here." She says, once more failing to identify what it is they're facing.  
"Noelle, they and I are called Darkners. We were created a long time ago in the image of the original Lightners, which is what you are. The prophesy foretold that a human and a monster would appear with a Prince from the Dark, and together we would seal the second fountain and restore the balance." He says as they move on, the grass crunching beneath their boots.

"And you said that Ves and Susie went against this?" Noelle asks. Ralsei nods and frowns.  
"Yes, Ves especially. Susie was happy to just ignore me and travel ahead, but Ves had other plans entirely, as if he already knew the nature of the fountain, and for some reason- though it benefits none, himself least of all, he would travel east and form an alliance with the King and drown the Lightner world in darkness!" Ralsei groans. Kris looks over.

"That's what happened to the school, then! Our world is being flooded by the dark!"  
"Your world is already being changed…?" Ralsei asks. Noelle nods.  
"Yeah. I guess we better hurry up." She explains. They both agree, and they march forward. The soldiers upon the road see them and scamper for cover, apparently wanting to avoid a fight. The soldiers from last time must have warned them all of how strong they are.

* * *

Before long, they pass by a cave with a lantern burning in the opening. They walk inside to be greeted by its owner, a cat man with a button eye.

"Ah, welcome… my name is Seam, pronounced shawm. Welcome to my little seap." (Pronounced shop) He says. They look around and decide to instead ask him some questions. Kris steps forward.

"Hey, Seam. Have you seen any other Lightners pass by several hours ago?"  
"Ah, you mean the heralds of darkness… yes, I saw them." Seam smiles wickedly, but Noelle responds.  
"What do you mean?"  
"The girl was normal enough, but the boy… there was an intense darkness inside of him, masked by a radiating light. It's as if he was a child of the cosmos, destined to bring light to the darkness… and darkness to the light." He laughs, beckoning curiosity from even Ralsei.

"Wait, I'm prince Ralsei, of the Delta Rune kingdom to the west… I've never heard anything about a herald of darkness."

"Ah, young prince… the herald was a wish the King made on a passing star, wishing for a way to maintain his kingdom, and protect the well. A wish of revenge against the Lightners. While many of us were content to fulfill our purpose, it was a great surprise that his wish came true… in the form of the herald, Ves." Seam explains in finality. Kris gulps. There's no denying what Ves is.

Yesterday, before he went to sleep, Kris made a wish upon that very same star… he wished for a friend, he wished for someone who understood and wanted the best for him. But this seems so wrong, this can't be the same person he made a wish for.

Satisfied with their answers, the group leaves the shop, but are followed by one final message from Seam.

"Don't fear the dark, Lightners, it's not so bad."

* * *

They move further along the path, finding themselves on a checkerboard patterned hallway of sorts, only to, at all of their surprise, be met by someone at the end of the long hall. At first, none of them can make out who it is, but they walk closer and Kris and Noelle can make it out as Susie.

"Susie! There you are, we were looking for you!" She says, dropping her guard and walking over to Susie. Noelle, however, slows down and eventually stops approaching her. Susie is staring at her with… extreme intensity.

"S-Susie?" Noelle asks. Susie merely shakes her head.  
"What are you guys doing here?" Susie asks. Standing a good few inches above Noelle and over a foot above Kris and Ralsei, she's truly imposing. Kris steps forward to give Noelle support.

"The school is being eaten by the darkness, Susie. We have to seal the fountain." Kris explains.  
"HA HA HA!" Susie covers her face and bellows in sheer sarcastic glee. She looks back over to them with a smile that quickly vanishes. She steps forward with a stomp, causing them to flinch backwards. She smirks again and shakes her head.

"You two have no idea what you're up against. Back in school, back with my so-called friends, I was aimless, nothing. Here? I have a purpose, I have respect, I have POWER… and two friends I can rely on. Ves, and Lancer. I don't need you. I don't need ANY of you! **Let our world be destroyed, I don't give a damn!** " She roars, drawing a glowing purple magic axe!

"Susie, you don't mean that!" Noelle lets out, but Susie only shakes her head and smiles.  
"I've never been more serious in my life, Lancer GETS me, Ves NEEDS me, I have more purpose here than anywhere, once I kill you guys, then the king will give me a dukedom. What's a dukedom? Hell if I know, but all I know is I like it here and I'm never leaving!" Susie says, her axe glowing. Noelle, Kris, and Ralsei look to each other. Unsure, but realizing they have no choice.

Seeing them gird themselves, Susie licks her teeth.

* * *

Susie draws first blood, launching a barrage of magical axes at them! Kris materializes his shield, but the axe hits him and blows him back! He's not hurt, but he slides along the checkerboard below! Noelle knocks a few arrows, but Susie's Rude Buster blows them all up in mid-air causing shrapnel to rain down! Noelle covers her eyes but Susie closes the distance extremely fast and punches her in the stomach, causing her to lose her breath and be knocked back, tumbling into Kris who catches her but only barely manages to keep standing!

Ralsei runs up to Susie.  
"Susie, I can feel, deep… deep down, you don't want to do this!" Ralsei begs, but Susie shakes her head.  
"You're wrong. I've never wanted anything more in my life!" She roars, cutting down with her axe! Ralsei protects himself with his magical scarf, but the blunt trauma still causes him to tumble backwards!

"You're all so weak and pathetic! What do ANY of you know about being alone?! I've gone my entire life as an outcast, and now I finally belong! I won't let you **TAKE THIS FROM ME!** " She roars, sliding her axe along the ground, summoning a Rude Buster! All 3 of them jump to their feet and block it at the same time, splitting the brunt of the attack among 3 surfaces, but it still singes Noelle's fur and cuts Kris's skin. They wince and shake their head.

Ralsei summons a gentle breeze of magic to heal their wounds before Kris charges at Susie. Susie, in no mood for simple posturing, dematerializes her axe and brandishes her reptilian claws and opens her wide maw and engages him as a predator! He slashes at her with his sword and she dodges deftly as she bites down! Kris barely dodges that attack before rolling between her legs and utilizing her flank to bash her back with his shield! She falls to her knee, but quickly spins around with her leg, tripping Kris! She stomps on his chest, causing him to cough up blood and she materializes her axe.

"TIME TO DIE, FREAK!" She yells as she chops down with her axe, only to have her hand get blown back by one of Noelle's magical arrows! Kris manages enough strength to draw his sword and slash her leg, causing her to recoil off of him and he rolls away, grasping his weakened chest. Ralsei slowly begins recovering Kris's wounds before Susie realizes this 3 on 1 won't be as easy as she initially thought.

"Grr… you guys are starting to piss me off. I'll let you off with a warning, turn back. Enjoy the darkness. It's really not so bad once you get used to it." Susie turns around to leave, but Kris is cutting her off.

"What the?"  
"You're not going anywhere, Susie!" Kris says, with a strange new wellspring of confidence! He engages her in close combat, his sword sparking against her sharp claws. Noelle tries to line up a shot but they're moving too much and she might hit Kris. All she can do is watch.

"Ngh, you're pretty good!" Susie admits, before headbutting him! He gets knocked off balance and she draws her magical axe! She chops at him, but he ducks and it barely misses his head, causing him to leap up and bash the side of her head with the hilt of his sword! She shakes her head, dizzy, before slashing wildly at Kris, who deftly side steps her delirious attacks and trips her with his sword, causing her to fall over! Susie begins gasping and wheezing, tired out, before Ralsei uses his Pacify magic!

Suddenly and unceremoniously, the battle is over, Susie's snoring now filling the checkerboard.

Kris, Noelle, and Ralsei fall to their knees and take a breath. Susie was so strong, but at least for now, they've won… though, secretly, Kris wonders to himself where he learned how to fight like this. The influence from the soul… has it left a lasting impression on him?

* * *

"NGAHHHHH! The darkness keeps growing, it's already eaten the driveway, and it's slowly expanding… soon the apartments and church will be eaten too! What IS this?!" Undyne growls, watching the tendrils of darkness slowly drain all color from the world. The town has already been evacuated except for a few worried parents that are being kept a safe distance away. The clouds above have turned from a sickly brown to an ominous black, as if the very light is being devoured. The school, or rather, where the school WAS… is completely eclipsed, a fountain of darkness shooting into the sky and blocking out the sun.

Asgore and Toriel are with the police. Rather strong monsters in their own right, they halt the spread whenever they have the energy to spare, preventing it from creeping any closer to the houses, but they know this is merely holding off the inevitable.

"I've called for help from the army, they'll be here in a few hours… but I fear our town won't be at this rate!" Undyne alerts them. They have no idea the nature of this enemy they face.

"This… this is insane… we aren't doing anything!" Asgore groans, his muscles giving way and he collapses to the street below. Toriel too, begins to sweat and pant. The darkness still slowly creeps over to them, as if sentient. Other monsters blast it with magic and cause it to pause for a short moment, but it's not long before it starts moving again. One monster throws a rock inside of it, but the rock vanishes beyond the blackness, they don't even hear it land. It just completely disappears. It's as if it's an all-consuming abyss…

"Ngah… civilians, I am giving the order."  
"What…?" Toriel looks over.  
"Fall back. ABANDON THE TOWN! We can't stay here any longer, it's too dangerous! Gather your families and possessions!" She commands. Most of the monsters oblige and run to their homes to quickly gather what they can, but Toriel and Asgore run up to Undyne.

"MY SON IS IN THERE!"  
"MY SON IS IN THERE!" They both yell at the same time! Undyne looks back with a look of defeat on her face. She closes her eyes and sighs.

"There's nothing I can do…" She admits. She runs over to the other civilians and helps them evacuate as Toriel and Asgore look at the darkness as it slowly creeps along the road, getting closer, inch by inch.

"… Kris is in there." Toriel says. Asgore looks over.  
"Tori?"  
"If… Kris is subject to this abject terror, then… then…" She balls her fists.  
"Toriel? What are you- WOAH!" He yelps as Toriel jumps into the darkness!  
"TORIEL!" He yells out as she completely vanishes from sight. Asgore growls and shakes his head.

"What am I doing? She's right!" He growls before jumping in. From far away, Undyne can see what they did.

"…" She says nothing, and helps the others evacuate.


	5. Nature of the Beast

Deltarune: An Innocent Wish  
Chapter 5: Nature of the Beast

* * *

With Susie out of commission, the three heroes catch their breath. Noelle crawls over and notices that Susie is kind of hurt.

"Kris, I don't think this is a game anymore. Can you call your mom? See if the grownups on the outside can come try to save us? I'd use mine, but I forgot it in my desk before we came here." Noelle pleads. Kris nods and pulls his phone out.

"Sure, let me…" He says, pushing a few buttons before putting his phone to his ear.  
"…" A brief silence passes between them.  
"Anything?" Noelle asks. Frisk, eyes darting to all directions, shakes his head.  
"No signal." He confirms. They both sigh as Ralsei walks up and heals Susie of her minor wounds, but she's still asleep.

"We've all had a long day, I recommend we set up camp here on the board. I can't imagine our journey being any easier from hereon out." Ralsei suggests. They agree and lie down for the night around a campfire made from Noelle's monster magic.

Susie snorts and shakes her head, slowly waking up. Her eyes are still hidden behind her hair as she finds herself in Darkner chains. Ralsei notices she's woken up and turns to her. The other two are asleep.

"I see you're awake, Susie." Ralsei says. Susie says nothing and merely diverts her gaze. Ralsei continues.  
"Susie, I want you to understand how wrong Ves is. I'm a Darkner, the darkness gives me life, and even I recognize that upsetting the balance to this degree will lead to nothing but pain."

"I don't care." She snaps."  
"Susie-"  
"I said I don't care, Ralsei, and I mean it. I don't know why Ves is doing what he's doing, but all I can tell for certain is my life has been better for joining him. Even though it's only been for less than a day, I can tell how much happier I'll be here. Friends that respect me, minions that fear me, I finally feel like I belong. What do you even want to do, Ralsei? Seal the fountain and send me back to my pointless life? No, I won't go back." She says, looking over at Ralsei, snarling with her eyes visible between the splits of her hair. Ralsei sighs. Noelle wakes up among the commotion.

"Huh? Susie? You're awake?" Noelle asks, rubbing her eyes and crawling forward.  
"If you guys are hoping to get me to join your side you're wasting your time. I have nothing to gain by joining you, and everything to lose." Susie states. Noelle looks a tad sad.

"Susie… was your life back at school really so bad?"  
"It was that bad and worse! You wouldn't understand you prissy b… girl." Susie cuts herself off, but even her interrupted word reaches Noelle's heart.  
"I… I'm sorry. I never knew. I thought that… maybe… if you really needed a friend, that I'd be able to be that friend for you." Noelle admits, but Susie laughs loudly, waking Kris up-

"None of you ever cared about me! All of you were just waiting for your opportunity to get rid of me, so I decided to stay here, now all of you are following me into this world and you want me to help you get rid of it?! A-AS IF!" Susie stands up and tries to break her cuffs off, but Ralsei's dark magic is too strong, she roars to the dark sky with tears in her eyes and rumbles the ground with her anger!

"GET THESE GOD DAMNED THINGS OFF ME, I'M NOT GOING BACK!" She yells, but Kris runs up.  
"Susie, damn it, if you want to stay here then fine! But we have to seal the fountain because our friends and parents are in trouble!" Kris explains, but Susie ignores him, simply trying to break her cuffs over and over!

"Damn it. Guys, we have to go. Susie isn't going to help us, and if we let her go, she's just gonna get in our way again." Kris explains. Noelle and Ralsei look over. Noelle shakes her head.

"But we can't just leave her here!" Noelle says, but Kris groans.  
"But if we get rid of her chains then they'll get in our way!"  
"…" Noelle pauses for a moment. "I… I will stay with her." She says, Kris and Ralsei look over.  
"Huh?"  
"If I stay with her, I can make sure she's not alone, and she also doesn't get in your way." Noelle explains. Kris and Ralsei look to each other and sigh.

"I hate that it's coming to this, but very well." Ralsei states. They wave and continue on their way, leaving Susie chained up at the wrists and Noelle with her. Noelle sits on a nearby overturned chess piece and sighs.

"…" Neither of them say anything.

* * *

They walk into the nearby forest and as was usual, the soldiers from before are giving them a wide berth and simply retreating, but at this point Ralsei and Kris are certain that they're mustering their forces. However, they hear another of the guards screaming out as they retreat-

"THERE'S TOO MANY OF THEM, FALL BACK TO THE CASTLE!" Is what they hear before what sounds like a small explosion going off! Ralsei looks over with an extremely puzzled face.

"Kris, did anyone else come into the Dark World with you?"  
"I was only with Noelle, I assume everyone else got out before the school was eaten." Kris responds.  
"Then who are they fighting?" He asks as the question answers itself. A gout of monster flame tears through the nearby forest with a Darkner lying upon the ground, dizzy and sizzling, as a monster steps out of the burnt woodwork.

"K-KRIS!" The large monster lets out! None other than Asgore, Kris's father! He rush forward and picks Kris up and hugs him like a bear!

"OUCH, gah, h-hey dad!" Kris responds. Ralsei can't help but laugh. Asgore puts Ralsei down and Kris looks at his dad. Much like them, Asgore has been transformed by the dark world, wearing a suit of armor with a cape, brandishing a bright red trident.

"I'm so glad I found you, Kris! Now we just need to get Toriel back then we can leave!" Asgore lets out.  
"W-Wait, mom? What happened to her?" Kris asks. Asgore growls.  
"A group of these strange monsters surrounded us on all sides, at least fifty of them! Toriel and I blew a hole in their defenses and went our separate ways while retreating, but I'm afraid Toriel fought farther into the enemy army, and surrounded by hundreds, she surrendered. I took a dozen or so out before finding you!" Asgore explains. Kris and Ralsei nod.

"Right, they must have taken her to the castle dungeons! Let's get moving!" Ralsei explains. Asgore nods and joins their party.

"So, dad. What's the outside like?" Kris asks. Asgore sighs.  
"The school is gone, and the darkness is spreading extremely fast. Fearing that something might be happening to you, Tori and I jumped in after you, hoping to find a way to stop this." Asgore explains as they walk through the forest of fading light.

"Don't worry, you two, we'll figure this all out!" Ralsei comforts them as they move on.

* * *

With minor torch lit light, Toriel finds herself in a prison cell. Guards are posted at every junction and give themselves ten-minute updates. Toriel sits in the cell and patiently contemplates the next actions she should do. Her magic is being pacified by this cell, and her physical strength isn't enough to bend the bars. Much like with the others, she is in a different set of armor as well. A magical robe with metal rings underneath. She also has a red staff, but it was taken by the guards.

However, something catches her ear. Someone is walking down the hall, beckoning immediate respect from the guards nearby. Toriel opens her eyes to view the individual walking towards her. Her eyes shoot wide however.

"K-Kris…?" She asks, but upon second glance, while similar in many ways, this human is different on key aspects.  
"No… you're not Kris. The guards always spoke the name of a human… a Lightner. You must be Ves." She asks. The human merely smiles and raises his hand.

Before Toriel can ask even another question, her cell is flooded with dark energy, the castle shaking to its foundation!

* * *

"Susie… don't you know how many people could get hurt, or killed, by the dark fountain going out of control like this?" Noelle asks.

"Oh my god shut up you're a broken record!" Susie groans; still chained up and bored. However, her stomach begins to grumble and they both hear it. Susie diverts her eyes and says nothing of it, but Noelle takes out a piece of dark candy she gathered from the field earlier.

"What are you doing?" Susie asks as Noelle offers it to her.  
"You're hungry. Take it."  
"You idiot, we're enemies."  
"We're not enemies, Susie, you only think we are… I think you've always thought that." Noelle says, with a twinge of hurt behind her words. Susie's stomach growls again. She lets Noelle put the candy in her hands and she sniffs it. It smells sickly sweet, and she is REALLY hungry… She takes a bite.

"… Well?"  
"It's not bad I guess."  
"That's good." Noelle says with a smile. Susie looks over with a serious expression.  
"What do you want from me, Noelle?"  
"Huh? I just… I mean… I want you to join us, so we can stop Ves."  
"Why do you want to stop him? Who's to say that a world covered in darkness is any worse than a world covered in light? I mean look at us, look at how strong we are!" Susie states.

"There's more than just strength at stake, Susie. Didn't you see Ralsei's kingdom, and how ruined it was? Who's to say that everywhere won't end up like that if the balance keeps being upset?"

"Can you say that's what will certainly happen if the fountain continues this way?"  
"No, not certainly, but can you say with certainty that it won't? Or what about the light world? What about all the kids there that don't want to fight, or are too weak to fight, and then suddenly the Darkners all show up and take them prisoner for not supporting their world of darkness?"

"Then maybe they should support-"  
"Susie, the King wants to rule the world! We're talking about the imprisonment and slavery of everyone you know!"

"Hah, everyone I know? Slaves? I'm not seeing the downside." She says, finishing the rest of the candy.  
"Even me…?" Noelle asks. Susie sighs.  
"Noelle, for the first time in my life I feel like I truly have friends I can trust, you know? People who truly understand me and would stand by my side. If I go back, all that goes away." She states, before Noelle walks over to Susie, and to her surprise, undoes her chains.

"…!? Noelle? What are you doing?"  
"If… if you want friends who trust you… then… then here I am. I'm trusting you." Noelle lets out. Susie looks at her intensely.

"What do you want me to do? Fight against my new friends, and go back to a world that hates me, just because you want to be my friend?"  
"S-Susie. I'll be honest… back at school, we are, or were… all afraid of you, but a lot of us WANT to be your friend! Please give us a chance!"

"…" Susie closes her eyes.


	6. Heartache

Deltarune: An Innocent Wish  
Chapter 6: Heartache

* * *

With very little subtly, Kris, Ralsei, and Asgore bust through the front gate of the castle! A great many organized soldiers get in the way to block them off to the west, and Asgore rushes forward.

"Kris, you and your friend go that way, down into the dungeons! They have to have Toriel, I'll hold these off!" Asgore suggests, raising a wall of fire to block the Darkners from passing him! Kris and Ralsei rush to the elevator and hit the switch down to the prison block! They run down the hall before Darkner soldiers appear from the right side, dozens of them! Ralsei jumps forward and envelopes the hall in a soothing array of dark magic.

"Kris, she is likely down that hall, time is of the essence, I'll prevent them from chasing you, like Asgore!" Ralsei states, but a few soldiers rush him and try to break through, just then Ralsei closes his eyes and begins to sing. The soldiers get drowsy and stop in their tracks. Kris utilizes this event to go further down the hall! He turns the corner as a single soldier stands in his path! Before it gets a chance to draw his weapon, Kris kicks him against the wall and knocks him out!

Kris runs forward towards the prison cell, seeing someone inside of it. He bangs on the bars, to his surprise it opens on its own. He pushes it open and runs inside.

Before long however, the cell, seemingly small from the outside, seems to grow expansively in size and soon he loses sight of whoever was in it as impossible darkness expands in all directions. Kris looks around trying to make heads or tails of the situation before meeting with a familiar shape.

"Mom?" He asks, walking forward cautiously, with his sworn drawn. As he gets closer, gouts of monster flame envelope them and he can see clearly, it IS Toriel, but her face isn't one of relief to see Kris, but instead one of distant aloofness.

"Mom, it's me, Kris! We all came to find you! Let's get out of here!" He tells her, getting closer as she shakes her head.

 **"I can't let you leave… if you do… they… ASGORE… will kill you."  
** "A-Asgore? Dad? Kill me? Mom, what are you talking about?"  
 **"Prove to me you're strong enough to survive, my child!"** Toriel yells as a barrage of monster attacks cascades the battlefield, one of which even blazing past Kris's face, leaving a singe! Speechless, another voice from the darkness speaks up.

 _"She can't truly hear you, not from where she's at."_  
"Who goes there? Ves?! Is that you?!" Kris growls, almost forgetting that Toriel is still launching attacks at him! He raises his shield but the heat plows through it and burns his arms as he holds the barrier up!

 _"This is the power of the dark world, Kris. A new world of our making, shaping a world of lies into a world of truth. Don't you see?"_ He explains in riddles. Kris merely growls.

"Shut up! Let Toriel go!" He roars in defiance!  
 _"She's lost in a world of immense hopelessness. A world we both might find very… very interesting. I know this isn't enough to kill you, Kris. Once you're done playing with your mommy, I'll be waiting with the King by the fountain."_ Ves, from beyond the impermeable dark taunts.

Toriel, face looking just a few seconds from bursting into rage or tears, continues to launch a series of calm but savage attacks. Kris has learned better than to simply bear the brunt and simply dodge the attacks instead! It's hard, the fire heats the room up and he's soon short on breath as the smoke burns all around him.

"Mom!" Kris yells, but the words don't reach her.  
"Toriel!" He tries again, she simply launches more attacks.  
"STOP FIGHTING!" He screams at the top of his lungs, those words seeming to reach her a small bit, beckoning a response.

 **"If you don't fight, you will die. If you won't stay, then strike me down, prove you are strong!"**  
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" Kris yells. Another gout of monster flame fires in his direction and he draws his sword, blowing it away in a show of force, blowing a decent amount of the flames out and pushing Toriel back a few inches.

 **"You're just like all the rest. They come. They leave. They die. Foolish child."** She continues to babble. Kris shakes his head, this is pointless. He grips his sword with both hands and charges forward! Toriel, to his surprise, not only dodges the attack, but also summons a flaming fist and open palm strikes him across the floor! He coughs, the wind being knocked out of him. He rises to his feet holding his ribs with one hand and his blade with the other.

 **"Don't look at me like that. Fight!"** She yells in protest.  
"Don't make me do this! Stop fighting!"  
 **"Don't you see I'm doing this for your own good? I know I'm not your real mother, but we can be happy here!"  
** "M-Mom…?" Kris asks, puzzled at the strange words she speaks. Toriel calms for the moment.

 **"I understand. You wouldn't be happy here. The ruins are quite small once you get used to them…"** She closes her eyes. Kris steps forward. Toriel smiles and does the same. She reaches her arms out and Kris flinches, but Toriel hugs him.

 **"You've grown so strong, my child. But after you pass these doors… promise me… you won't come back…"  
** "Mom?"  
 **"Be good, won't you, my child?"** She breaks the hug and turns away. She walks off into the darkness, vanishing from Kris's sight, and the flames fade. He looks around, before quickly shocking into a panic!

The prison cell is empty! Toriel is gone!

"T-Toriel? MOM?!" He yells! Ralsei quickly runs up, apparently having successfully dealt with the guards.

"Kris? Where's Toriel?"  
"I… I don't know! She said a bunch of extremely weird stuff and walked away, and now she's just… gone!"  
"Is there anything else? We have to keep moving, we can't sit still!"  
"Y-Yeah, there was one thing… Ves spoke to me. He's waiting next to the fountain."  
"…" Ralsei sighs. "Very well. Asgore is likely finished above the prison as well. If Toriel vanished, this is likely Ves's doing. It's about time we finished this, for both of our worlds' sake."

* * *

Officer Undyne has evacuated the whole town, but the darkness is accelerating. The entire town has been consumed by the dark, and the tentacles continues to spread. The fountain of darkness pierces the clouds and blocking out the sun. It's as if the world is truly ending. Rain falls and thunder crackles, thunder that does not flash, but instead ebb and devour all light. She and the other monsters have elected to stop attacking the darkness, and instead just help everyone get as far from it as possible.

They have no power against it… all they can do is pray that it stops, or those within the darkness can stop it somehow. If this darkness continues to spread, it will devour the whole world.


	7. A Synthesis of Light and Dark

Deltarune: An Innocent Wish  
Chapter 7: A Synthesis of Light and Dark

* * *

Ralsei and Kris take the elevator up, avoiding the sleeping guards. When they arrive, the level billows out with smoke. Darkners lie scattered along the floor, dazed and beaten. Asgore, short of breath, takes a knee in the center of the room at the base of the castle.

"K-Kris… did you… find Toriel?" Asgore asks. Kris diverts his eyes and shakes his head.  
"She vanished into the darkness. Ves did something to her. We have to finish this." Kris says. They all somberly agree and march northward. The elevator to the top is available and they ride it. It's a quick ride, and when they reach the top, they find themselves surrounded by no less than a hundred soldiers! They begin to circle them and charge attacks, but a voice yells out for them to stop. All of them look to the elevator itself showing two people walk out.

"Susie?" Ralsei asks?  
"Noelle!" Kris exclaims, running towards them. Susie has apparently turned over a new leaf. The Darkners in the room talk amongst themselves.

"Guys. It's me, Herald of Darkness Susie yada yada blah, these guys are coming to meet the king on official business." Susie explains. The guards seem unconvinced, but she doesn't care.

"Come on." She commands them. Noelle, Ralsei, Asgore, and Kris walk northwards into the throne room. Inside the room are large banners and tapestries blowing in the dark winds, and a single chair with a tiny being on it.

"Lancer?" Susie asks.  
"Susie! There you are!" He exclaims with his tongue sitting out.  
"Where's the king?" She asks, looking around.  
"She's with Ves next to the fountain, they're setting a trap for the Lightners! …Wait, they're right behind you." Lancer observes. Ralsei walks up.

"Hi there, I'm Prince Ralsei. We've come to meet with the King and Ves."  
"And seal the fountain." Lancer grumbles. Ralsei diverts his eyes.  
"…Surely you are aware of the prophesies." He states to Lancer.  
"I think so, and it's not a HUGE deal to me I guess, but it's a huge hot button for dad and Ves. I mean… if you guys want to go meet them, I can come with you." Lancer says with his voice changing tone. It's obvious he doesn't know how to handle this situation.

All 6 of them walk along the path that leads out to the rampart overlooking the dark fountain. Kris looks back at Noelle and Susie.

"So, Susie… turn over a new leaf?"  
"Shut up, freak, I'm here for answers." Susie says, enigmatically. Kris looks over to Noelle.  
"Kris, Ves being here is more complicated than we gave him credit for. I didn't want to say anything because people would think I was crazy, but last night I made a wish on a star in the sky…" She says, Kris quickly halting the group.

"Wait, I made a wish on that star!" Kris yells, causing Lancer to look back.  
"Huh? But my dad made a wish on a dark star last night!" They all talk among each other as a vague sense of unease passes them.

"I… I wished for a friend that truly understood and valued me." Kris admits.  
"I wished for a better understanding of the human race, they deserved better, you deserved better." Noelle explains.  
"And my dad wished for something that could free us of our fate as Darkners." Lancer says. They all look at each other before Asgore also steps forward.

"I… will admit, I also made a wish last night. I didn't want to say anything, but I wished something would happen so Tori and I could just… be together and talk, like the old days."

They finish explaining and one by one it appears all of their wishes have come true, slowly… but they're not finished. Noelle's wish isn't done yet, she hasn't grown to truly understand humanity. Kris hasn't found a friend to value and love, and the King's wish… well, it's vague. It's hard to know what's going to happen from this point on.

"Wait." Ralsei interrupts before continuing:  
"Are you all telling me that this Ves person… is the culmination of everyone's wishes?" He asks. They all look at each other and it makes sense…

The cataclysm in the light world brought Toriel and Asgore together, Ves's humanity is forcing Noelle to see humans in a different light than simple victims, the King has found an ally within Ves… but Kris's wish…? What about Ves is Kris's desire?

"There was no prophesy about this, my friends. I suggest we all be extremely careful when dealing with Ves." Ralsei explains with finality. They all nod and move on.

* * *

They reach the rampart; the air is thick with dark energy. The fountain is exploding outwards, piercing even the darkness in the sky and leaking out of the very essence of this world and into the Lightner world. Standing at the precipice are two individuals. One is the unmistakable King of Spades, and the other must be the individual known as Ves. A young teenage looking human with gray studded leather armor and brown hair.

The king looks down on all of them.

"Susie, why do you travel with the Lightners?" The king asks. Lancer quickly bounces over to his father's side. Susie steps forward.  
"I will have words with Ves, he has much to answer for." She demands. The king, curious, looks back at Ves, who merely shrugs with a cocky smile, before walking forward. Susie snickers and looks him in the eye.

"You feeling alright, buddy? Your face is kinda pale. Plus you look like this guy I absolutely despise because he lied about everything!" Susie insults Ves as he simply shakes his head.  
"I hardly wanted to believe it, but this is how you choose to go against it all." Ves sighs. "But I'm not surprised, I heard everything." Ves explains, the King continues for him;

"You see, Susie, Ves has shown me your conversations with this Lightner, Noelle-" The king explains, emerging from his cloak and pulling a spade chain from his stomach.

"-and it has shown us where your true loyalties lie."  
"VES! YOU LIAR! YOU TOLD ME I BELONGED HERE!" She yells. Ves, enigmatic as always, steps forward. His footsteps are light. His skin is as pale as a ghost, and his expression is one of pure malice.

 _"You did belong here, and now you don't. You've picked your side, as have we."_ Ves explains. Before anyone can say another word, he punches his hand into his own chest! Kris's eyes go wide- there's no way-

Ves pulls out a blood red heart, pulsating with power. Ves, panting from the exertion, looks over at Kris specifically, before diverting his eyes to Susie once more.

"You were a tool, Susie. Something to convince the lesser Darkners that the prophesy was occurring, but in a different way. We would usher in a world of darkness for them all, using THIS as the key!" He yells, holding up the soul! As he moves the heart, the very world around them quakes! The fountain shoots into the sky even more!

* * *

The ground begins rumbling, officer Undyne has evacuated not just the town, but all surrounding towns as well! They are far enough away that the fountain can no longer be seen- at least until just now where it pierces the clouds themselves and fires into the stratosphere! Before long all light begins to die! Screams ring out across the nearby towns, the darkness that was growing at a sluggish pace ramps up at the speed of a hungry pack of wolves! Lashing out and devouring all in its path! Police officers, medics, soldiers, all enveloped by the darkness! Those who outrun its tendrils face a planet-wide quake!

This is the end of the age of light…

* * *

Susie falls to her knees, her eyes unfocused. Lancer, piteous, hops over to her, but his dad hold him back.

"No, son. Her role is over."  
"B-But… she's my friend."  
"She is a tool that has outlived its usefulness."  
"…" Lancer takes a breath and steps back. To Susie's absolute heartbreak, Lancer is staying with his dad.

"What do you want, Ves?!" Kris asks, drawing his sword. Ves looks at the soul and uses its power to levitate above the ground.

"It's not about what I want, Kris. It's about what you want. About what Noelle wants, about what Susie wants, about what the king of spades and Asgore wants! Don't you see? I am the culmination of your various innocent wishes. I have come to grant you all closure, even you, Susie, who wished for a place to be accepted… well I gave you what you wanted… and you cast it aside." He says, his smile quickly fading to one of psychopathic anger.

"Do you not wish for someone to truly understand you, Kris? I understand you perfectly! You're weak and selfish!" He yells! Kris winces at the insults- but he still continues!

"You were jealous of your older brother for being better than you at everything! You wanted friends but didn't know how to make them, so you turned to the heavens to give you a miracle! Don't you see? I answered your prayer." Ves says, drawing emphases to the red soul.

"You hated this so much, you threw it away, locked it up, and hoped every day it would simply not return. Well, I have it now, I have peered into it, and I have seen in it a great many truths and possibilities. For you, Noelle, I will grant you a chance to see what humans are truly capable of!" He yells, energy pushing wind across the great castle! The heroes all shield their eyes as dust and energy flows past them!

"If you're all here to try to fight me like some misbegotten heroes, then I'm afraid you all haven't been paying attention!" He says, snapping his fingers as the environment around them changes into a plane of pure black with only the fountain in the middle shooting energy.

"Can't you see? As a Lightner, I can use the powers of creation with this Dark Fountain… I am the synthesis of light and dark, the harbinger, the final wish of the king, and the truest example of human determination! I am all your wishes come true, and I will sculpt this world to its perfect state! One of unending darkness!" Ves yells out and shooting the heart into the Dark Fountain, causing it to bubble and quake! Susie rises to her feet with an empty expression.

"You're a bad liar."  
"What…?" Ves asks. Susie shakes her head and her expression changes to a smile with closed eyes.  
"You might be able to see through us, but we can see through you too."  
"What are you talking about?" Ves groans, unamused by her baseless accusations.  
"You say you're here to grant all of our wishes? Well fine, I was granted a place at your side, and I went against that- that's fair… but what about Asgore?" Susie points at Asgore who himself is now also unsure.

"I gave him time with his wife." Ves claims. The darkness of the world goes still as they talk. The heroes are unsure to the whole event as Susie walks forward.  
"Yes, but with me, you took my wish away when I went against it, Asgore never went against the wish, so where is Toriel?" She accuses. Even the King of Spades looks back at that question. Ves furrows his brow.

"She is here, within the darkness, as soon he shall be."  
"And that- that's not what the king wished for either!" She yells, catching Lancer's ear, and the King's attention.  
"S-Susie? What are you talking about?" Lancer asks. Noelle steps forward.  
"I think I know where Susie is going with this. When we were alone and talking, she told me her motivations and I have to admit… it was hard to convince her to come to our side because she was so content with you guys, but in the end, something didn't seem right. In no part of our desires did anyone want the world of light to be consumed, not even the King!" She explains. Susie nods.

"That's right. The king just wanted his kingdom, his fountain, his people, to stay in power and never fade away. I don't have a problem with his wish, and I didn't intend of betraying the promise Ves and I made to him when accepting our place here… you claim to be wanting to do this for OUR sake, Ves, but no one made a wish to destroy all of the light world! You're doing this on your own!" Susie says with finality, pointing her axe at Ves, who smiles and begins to laugh.

And laugh. And laugh. He begins to clap as well and wipes a tear from his eye.

"THE HELL IS SO GOD DAMNED FUNNY?!" She yells!  
"Do you REALLY think I'm just doing this because I'm evil? Haha… haha… **NO.** " He says with an extreme bass, pushing them back.

"One among you wished for this total extermination of the world. But I will admit, it was not a wish made with words, it was a wish made with emotion. A true desire at the core of their very being that wanted to see the whole world completely obliterated and reshaped from the ashes." Ves explains. The King turns around.

"Hah, well it wasn't me, though I have to admit if I knew that star was going to grant wishes I might have wished for the destruction of the Lightners." The king laughs. Ves nods and smiles.

"Exactly, it wasn't you, my king. It was one of them." He says, pointing his finger out.

Noelle steps forward.  
"It… wasn't me, I may have been frustrated once or twice in my life and I just wanted everyone, and everything to stop, but I never wanted everything to vanish." She explains. Susie bangs on her chest like a Viking.

"I may have wished personal deaths on people in my life and laughed myself to sleep over the very concept, but destroying the whole world? I'll fairly state that I didn't much care that Ves was consuming it in darkness, but that's it. I didn't CARE. I never made that wish." Susie states. Asgore steps forward.

"I have a deep love for all the people I've met in my life. I wouldn't want that world to vanish, even for Toriel. Life has been hard the past few years, but I'll come around. I always do." Asgore admits. Leaving only Kris.

Kris breaks into a cold sweat as everyone in the dark abyss slowly, naturally, turn their gaze to him.

"Kris…?"  
"Kris you didn't."  
"Kris… my son…?"  
"Hah… the Lightner?"  
"It was you, Kris." Ves says.

All of their voices are drowned out by the endless mental sound of rushing water. Kris's vision goes blank. The ever-present dark is replaced with a complete white. Except for one detail… at the center of his vision is a red heart. It beats. Before long, he can see someone take that heart into their hand. He blinks once, and he is snapped back to reality. Ves is holding the heart once more.

"Deep within your soul, Kris, was a deep, instinctual desire to see this world erased, its people remade, the great history cast to dust and blown to the wind. You wanted freedom so much that deep within your heart of hearts, you didn't care if it cost the entire world. That, Kris, is me fulfilling both of your wishes."

"I… don't… understand…" Kris says, a single tear forming in his eye.

"Your first wish was for someone who truly understands you, Kris… and on that note, I do. I do truly understand, and it's because of that understanding, I will grant your second wish… your wish of complete erasure. Sit back and enjoy it, Kris, this one's for you!" Ves yells as the fountain fires once more, the black world around them changing shape before they find themselves on a platform in a starless, sunless sky, overlooking a giant mountain.

 **"I give you all, the culmination of your various wishes… I give you… Ebott."**


	8. End of Innocence

Deltarune: An Innocent Wish  
Chapter 8: End of Innocence

* * *

Floating above a mountain of darkness, illuminated by a strange otherworldly light, Kris, Ralsei, Susie, Noelle, and Asgore stare down the King of Spades, Lancer, and Ves.

"What destiny belies my kingdom in this world, Ves?" The king asks. Ves floats forward and answers.  
"Your world will remain behind, and envelope the world of the light, while all the Lightners shall be banished to this world, the hell of Ebott, Kris's final desire. Your truest wish will come true, my king, once these Lightners accept their fate." Ves explains. The king cackles maniacally and steps forward, the world beneath them solidifying into a platform of solid black.

"So you have two choices, Lightners. Accept this world or die by my hand!" He yells, drawing the Chain of Justice! Susie and Ralsei step forward and take aggressive stances.

"Like hell!" Susie roars.  
"The prophesy can still be fulfilled, we merely need stop you and plug the fountain!" Ralsei states, his scarf whirling with a mind of its own!

Kris however is still in shock, on his knees behind them all. Noelle and Asgore step to his side.

"Kris, my son, this is not your fault." Asgore says, but Kris closes his eyes and frowns.  
"Yes… it is… I made a selfish wish… and now we're all paying for it…" Kris states, but Noelle shakes her head.  
"Kris, people can't help how they feel, Ves merely took advantage of a fleeting feeling you had and turned it into this! If you knew that wish would come true, I know you wouldn't have made that wish…! Please get up, we can still stop him!" Noelle insists. Kris looks over at Noelle and Asgore.

They're right. He can't spend this time feeling sorry for himself, at least not now when the time is most important. Kris stands up and draws his sword. He stands with Susie and Ralsei, causing Ves to step forward.

"That's quite enough." He says, summoning a wall of light around them and the king, knocking Lancer, Susie, and Asgore back!  
"Gah, what is the meaning of this?!" Asgore yells!  
"This fight is the culmination of a great many wishes, the prophesy of the Delta Rune. A Human… a Monster… and a Prince from the Dark. Their desire is to seal the fountain and save the Lightner world, they will do battle with the King. I trust you're capable of salvaging this victory?" Ves asks the King of Spades beyond the wall of fire.

"It will be my pleasure…" He growls, looking towards the three heroes. The other three are blown away from the battlefield as it flies towards the ground! Ralsei, Kris, Susie, and the King take a knee as the platform falls, before crashing into the base of the mountain. The dark sky has bright clouds in the shape of hearts floating around them and begin to rain dark drops.

"Come, Lightners, your world ends this day!"

* * *

Susie, without any warning, roars and rushes forward, her axe launching a laser of energy at the king, who blocks it with his cloak and launches his chain at them all! Ralsei and Kris deftly dodge it, but Susie is blasted and send sliding backwards, but she shakes her head and growls! She draws her weapon again but Kris steps forward.

"Susie we have to work together! We can't just attack him wildly, he's too strong!" Kris insists, but Susie ignores him and attacks again! He groans and rushes forward with Ralsei in pursuit!

"Die, Lightners! After today, the tyranny of the light shall end!" The king yells, surrounding them all with a tornado of spades! They rush in to skewer them and while Kris raises a shield to block, Ralsei dodges the attacks as Susie rips through them with brute force! She reaches the king and swings down at him but he grabs her axe and he punches her in the chest, knocking the wind out of her, and blowing her away with a black explosion of energy! Her out of breath body gasps at the feet of Kris and Ralsei! Ralsei heals her with his magic and she rises to her knees and coughs.

"D-Damn it, he's so strong!" She growls, snapping her fingers as her axe dematerializes from his hand and reappears in hers.  
"Susie, I know you don't want to listen to me, but we have to work together, the entire world is at stake!" Kris yells, stepping in front of her and offering to help her up. She squints as she notices a magical attack being launched at him!

"GET DOWN!" Susie yells, lunging forward and tackling Kris as a spade rips across the ground and exploding into the nearby mountain!

"Thanks for the save!"  
"Sure. Fine, we can work together, but don't think that makes us friends!"  
"Whatever, let's just go! Ralsei, heal our wounds! Susie, you take his left, I'll take right!" Kris yells, rushing off and having Susie follow suit on her end! The king looks to both of them and rises a myriad of spades to impede their progress! Kris, not willing to slow down for the sake of defense, rushes through and cuts his skin on the magical attacks, but Ralsei patches him up quickly as Susie blitzes through her end! They meet at the king and he uses both hands to catch their weapons! But their combined strength begins to push him back, the dirt and stone beneath his feet breaking as they work together.

"ENOUGH!" He yells out, beginning to turn the tides with dark energy, but Ralsei jumps over all of them, causing the king to look up.  
"What?!" He blurts as Ralsei's scarf slashes him across the face, knocking him off guard as Susie's Axe blasts his belly and knocks him back with Kris waiting to slash him with two hands! At full power, Kris slashes with all his might to blast the king across the ground, leaving a trail of broken rocks and black Darkner blood!

They all pant, but it seems the Lightners have won this battle. From the sky, Ves and the others descend.  
"DAD!" Lancer yells, running over to the king. To their surprise, so does Susie. The king looks up.

* * *

"G-Grr… why… are you coming to my aid?" He asks Susie, who helps him to his feet.  
"Because, you idiot, we both still want the same thing…"  
"Nonsense… my goal plunges your world into darkness."  
"I already told you, I don't care about that, and besides, you're not the one doing that- Ves is. You're my friend's dad, and I won't live knowing I let you die." Susie says with a rare show of compassion. She looks over to Ralsei.

"Hey dude, can you help-"  
"On it!" Ralsei interrupts, already performing healing magic on the king, who grabs his belly and exhales.  
"That feels… better. You three are quite strong." He admits, backing away, with Lancer hopping towards him, but Lancer looks back at Susie.

"We're still friends…?" He asks. Susie diverts her eye and nervously chuckles.  
"Yeah. I mean, we are if you want to be."  
"Cool!" Lancer says, returning to his dad's side.

Ves looks upon the great mountain as Asgore and Noelle join Kris, Susie, and Ralsei.

"This is the epitome of everyone's wishes." Ves says, looking at the dark Ebott. The heroes however run over, and Ves turns around before continuing.

"Why can't you all see that?" He asks.  
"Because it's… not what I truly wanted!" Kris says, gripping his sword. Ves merely shakes his head.  
"You and I both know you don't mean that."  
"Then I don't want it NOW! Undo it, I know you can!" Kris growls. Ves takes out the blood red soul and looks at it.

"This simple item gave me form, Kris."  
"What…?" Kris asks.  
"Come now, certainly you don't think I'm some random human that has the power to grant wishes. No, I was… quite literally the star you wished on." Ves explains, catching everyone off guard. Noelle shakes her head.

"How is that even possible? There's no magic in the world that can grant wishes, not like this!"  
"No monster magic perhaps, but with the power of this soul… the soul that Kris abandoned… his soul gave me form, and through the soul's power I was made aware of not just his wish, but the wishes of all those around him. Wishes of light, wishes of dark, I even touched the wishes of the King. Now I will merge the Lightner world and the Darkner world to create a world where all things come true." Ves explains, shoving the soul into his own chest!

The world around them begins to take form, light and color coming to the land around them, the black ground turning green with grass and the black sky turning blue! The red heart shaped clouds forfeit their energy and turn to simple clouds! Before long, a breeze blows, and Ves takes a breath.

"But one last thing must be done before the merging can be complete…" Ves says, pointing to Kris, who flinches at the action.

"Kris… you… must kill me."  
"WH-WHAT?!" Kris blurts, taking a step back. Everyone rushes to his aid, even Lancer, as the King looks on in interest.

"Woah, kill you? Why?" Susie asks.  
"Because with my death, this world will finally shock forward, and the final step of Kris's wish can come true."  
"What are you talking about? This STILL isn't everything?!" Kris yells, getting frustrated.  
"No, there's one last step… your desire to be someone else, that created me in your image, Kris! I am the vessel you imagined in your dream! Once I die, I can reset the whole world, and I can give you a new body, a new name, a new identity! A world where your choices matter!" He explains. He turns back to the mountain, now covered in color and life.

"This world will be much different from the one before, one where humans ruled over monsters, with monsters being the ones who lost the war many years ago." Ves explains, his hair blowing in the breeze. Noelle steps forward.

"Wait, does that mean monsters will only exist in a few handfuls, like Kris does now?"  
"No, for better or worse, they will have their own world, cut off from the humans. Cut down in their prime, but surviving in the hundreds, they will live out their lives in safe mediocrity. Humans that fall will be given a choice to stay or leave, but the monsters must remain." Ves explains to Noelle. Susie steps forward.

"If so many monsters are gone, what about our family and friends, me? Will we exist?"  
"Some of you will… some of you wont. It's simply the nature of the world itself. From billions of monsters, to hundreds. To coincide with Asgore's wish… Toriel will be one of them." Vex explains, catching Asgore's ear.

"Ah… Toriel will be safe…" He says, but Noelle kicks him in the shin.  
"Ow, what was that for?"  
"Asgore, he's talking about resetting the world and killing billions of people! We can't let him do this!" She explains, snapping Asgore back to reality.  
"R-Right… RIGHT!" Asgore says, brandishing his trident, and Kris also steps forward one last time.

"What… about me?"  
"For you Kris, your final wish will come true. You will finally become someone else, like I promised before." He says simply. Kris sighs and shakes his head.

"I don't want this world, I don't want any of this. Not anymore." Kris says, but Ves closes his eyes and smiles.  
"I'm sorry, Kris…

 **But you made your decision long ago!"**

* * *

Ves flies off the ground like some magician and shoots forward! Asgore jumps in front of Kris and raises his trident. Ves flies into it and slides Asgore back, requiring Kris to jump out of the way! Ves flies to the sky and his entire body glows white, before exploding out two glorious white wings, which cause Ralsei, Lancer, and the King to look on with mouth agape.

"That's-" Ralsei says-  
"The Angel's heaven!" The king finishes.

To everyone's surprise, the king joins the heroes in the fight against Ves.

"What? Why are you helping?" Noelle asks.  
"The last wish of the prophesy- the prophesy that's been coming true this whole time… is to vanquish the Angel's Heaven. Ves's powers will come at the cost of the Dark World! I will not be his pawn, no matter the gain." He explains, standing at their side! Ves looks down with his wings at his side.

"So even the Darkners will turn against the world of hopes and dreams?"  
"MY PEOPLE WILL NOT BE SLAVES, EVEN TO BENEVOLENT GODS!"  
"Then so be it, my King. Your people and their dark world will be the scaffolding that will hold the dreams in place!" He yells, shooting to the floor, blowing rocks and dirt in all directions-  
 **"SCATTERED TO THE DUST LIKE WIND!"**

Ves fires forward, but Asgore and the King of Spades team up and hold him off! Their combined power is a match, and Susie lets off a Rude Buster as Lancer launches a barrage of spade attacks! They all connect with Ves and cause a small-scale explosion, pushing the King and Asgore back!

Ves is still standing however, his wings radiating white electricity.

"Why do you all resist this change? Why do you all resist Ebott?! All of your dreams, without fail, would come true! Every wish you made upon me!" He asks with frustration!

"Because I made those wishes without thinking of the consequences!" Kris explains, holding his sword.  
"Because this isn't truly what I wanted, I would never ask for it at this cost!" Noelle explains, drawing her arrows.  
"Because my people will not be slaves to the Angel's Heaven, not again!" The King growls.  
"Because my dad is the king, and I am the prince!" Lancer says with a dumb smile.  
"Because the prophesy demands it." Ralsei furrows his brow.  
"Because I believe in my son, and I support his decision!" Asgore says, his trident glowing.  
"Because… because…" Susie trails off, drawing the attention of everyone around her.  
 **"Because if I'm being honest, I'm really fucking sick of people who think they know me!"** Her eye burns with a pink energy as her Axe flashes light!

Everyone stands against Ves, who growls and takes a step back.

"You… idiots…! Don't you see what I can give you? A world of infinite possibilities! You would cast aside your desires?! What am I as a star without a wish? NO! Ebott must be created, it must, even if none of you are alive to see it, I WILL grant these wishes!" He yells, his wings flashing outward and radiating energy! But the heroes all band together and rush at Ves from all angles. He quickly realizes he's outmatched and jumps into the air, but Ralsei, the King, and Lancer summon Darkner magic to cause a storm of spades and pacification to force Ves back to the ground, where he's quickly met in battle by both Asgore and Kris!

Asgore lunges forward but Ves catches the trident and pulls Asgore in and grabbing him by the throat, but Kris rushes forward and slashes at Ves's wing, causing it to blast off with a loud thunderbolt crash! He roars and throws Asgore at Kris as he tumbles backwards, grabbing his wing in pain, but before he can recover, both Noelle and Susie launch long range attacks! Magical Arrows and Rude Busters cut across the soil, causing sonic booms and blowing Ves back and crashing into a nearby tree! Ves falls to his knees, his energy starting to fade. He looks up with a closed eye and a bleeding face.

But he smiles, one of his teeth red from stray blood.

"Hehe… do it… kill me, and release my energy… allow Ebott to be created." He goads. Everyone looks to the world around them. How could they possibly get out of this mess? To everyone's surprise, Kris is the one who steps forward.

He looks Ves in the eye, and with sword in hand, Kris makes a decision.


	9. The Darkness of Deltarune (Ending 1)

Deltarune: An Innocent Wish  
Chapter 9A: The Prophetic Deltarune

* * *

Ves, bleeding and on his knees, looks into Kris's eyes, but his eyes are one of pity, his eyes watering.

 **"Kris…? The hell are you crying for?"** Ves growls, trying to stand up but wobbling.  
"Ves, why can't things go back to the way they were?" Kris asks.  
 **"Because the way things were, terrible things happened to good people. There was no justice, and the weak and pathetic would make wishes to change their world. You should know this more than anyone."** Ves explains deeply, the world around them growing darker. He coughs up blood and shambles forward, being caught by Kris.

 **"Kris. I'm sorry things didn't work out the way you wanted… but let me die… and the world will change for the better. Your wishes would all come true… you could be whoever you want, have friends that love you, or make enemies, and see them run before you… all in a world where you have final say… a story in a world of light, birthed by the darkness of the past…"** Ves explains, but Kris shakes his head.

"Ves… did you really mean it back there?"  
 **"Mean… what?"**  
"When you said you weren't evil, and you were only doing this for us."  
 **"I… meant every word of it. Every fiber of my being tells me this is the right thing to do… it might not be perfect, but anything has to be better than this, Kris… right?"** Ves asks and smiles as Kris looks at Ves dying in his arms. But Kris shakes his head one last time and closes his eyes.

"If… if you really mean it, then you're wrong."  
 **"Wh-What…?"  
** "Ralsei, can you heal him?" Kris asks as Ralsei hops over. Ralsei looks a tad confused, but does as asked.  
 **"W-What are you doing? Kris you damn fool, this world would benefit you most of all…! Your friends' wishes would come true as well! Noelle would see humanity in its purest state, as the dominant force of the world! The king's world would inherit the light, Asgore would live in a world where he and his wife would have a loving family with two beautiful children! I can see the world, the world where everything you could ever dream of comes true!"** Ves protests as his wounds fade.

"Ves, this world isn't perfect, but… if you really mean all the things you've said, then please… give us back the world we have."

 **"But the pain… the suffering…"  
** "That's just how life is, Ves. I'm sorry we confused you with all of these wishes, but none of us want it at such a cost… You saw the king, the one who had the most to gain from this, he turned on you because he wants his people to earn this victory, not have it given to them by a god, and besides… what would that new world be without you in it?" Kris asks, causing Ves to look a bit puzzled.

 **"What do you mean?"  
** "Maybe we got off on the wrong foot earlier, but if you really want to help us, truly, then come with us back to the world of Light. Help fix our world, and once we've fixed that, let's go back to the world of Dark and fix that too. Let's find an ending that makes everyone happy, now that we know our wishes can be truly granted. But… let's make small wishes. Wishes that won't kill you."

 **"Kris, I…"**  
"Hey. We beat you fair and square. Grant this wish."  
 **"… Hah, that's dumb. Whatever."** Ves says with equal parts frustration and submission. Ves stands up, his suit of studded leather armor rattling as he struggles to stand. Ralsei's healing magic takes effect and Ves takes a breath.

 **"Before… before I do anything. How do the rest of you truly feel about this?"** Ves asks, with the King being the first to step forward.

"The Lightner, Kris… has reminded me of something long ago. A feeling of comradery between our peoples. I had lived so long in the dark, waiting for the day when our gods would return, so long that I began to hate them. I saw only destruction as the way for my people to return to power… in reality, I can see now that such strong desires are… premature. This world is larger than even I gave it credit for, and the Lightners are not as… omniscient as I remembered. Perhaps I will stave my war… for now… but if the time comes that my people revolt against the Lightners, it will be with our own strength, not yours, Angel's Heaven." The King explains. After he says that, Ralsei and Lancer step back, not having made wishes. Asgore steps forward.

"This was… quite an adventure. But if this darkness fades, and we can go back to the real world as a family, I can see Toriel again… and Kris can be safe. Even though the past still stings, it's part of what makes the present. Maybe the story Toriel and I told as one is a story that finished long ago, but even for a single afternoon… she and I did the same things, and thought the same things. As far as I'm concerned, I got my wish already, Ves." He laughs, scratching his head in minor embarrassment. Noelle nods and begins to speak.

"Knowing Kris, talking to Toriel, reading books… humanity has always fascinated me. They got a raw deal, and I feel so bad for them. I want more human friends, I want humans to feel good about this world that we live in, but I know it's a lot more complicated than that. A new world, one where they are dominant, and we are suppressed? It would just be the same world with so much pain and hurt, and humans curious about monsters. Nothing would be solved. Kris is my friend, and he said no- and he's a human, he can make a world for humans! So if he says no, who am I to saw yes? If I want to learn more about humans, I should stay with Kris, and be his friend." She says, looking over to Kris who smiles slightly at the sentiment, his eyes peering through his long hair.

The last person to speak is Susie, who walks forward, much closer to Ves than any of them before, before looking him in the eye. Kris steps away to let her talk.

"Ves. You promised me I would belong and took that away from me."  
 **"…"** Ves diverts his eyes.  
"But, if even for a small moment, you did show me I COULD belong, I could be someone's friend, and feel like I had purpose. It was something I've never felt before. God I hate long speeches like this, but… in the end, maybe Kris knows more than I've given him credit for. I would have killed or died for you, Ves. That kind of feeling felt great, a feeling of true belonging… maybe I can feel that again in the world of Light. Let Ebott go, there's no place for me, there." Susie says.

With that, all of the individuals that had ever made a wish have spoken. Each one has revoked their original wishes, and Ves takes a breath.

 **"I see. Thank you, all. I… understand a bit more now."** He says, taking the heart out of his chest and looking at Kris.

 **"Kris. If we go back, I will return to the night sky, and this will return to you. You know this, right?"** He asks. Kris closes his eyes and nods slowly.

"I'm willing to accept it."  
 **"…I see. The heart isn't evil, you know. It's merely… curious. In this world of Ebott, both it and you would have been able to play with the concept of good and evil like toys, but you want to head into a world where tomorrow is tomorrow, and yesterday is yesterday. I understand it, but I'm still confused. I have much to learn. Kris? Everyone?"** He says, addressing them all.

 **"I'm going to watch over you, I promise… sorry about earlier. I thought I was… well… hah, it doesn't matter what I thought."** He apologizes, the heart floating into the sky. The world around them begins to flicker like static, and color drains once more. All of the world shoots into Ves as the heart falls into Kris's hands. It's a strange reunion, one Kris has very mixed feelings about.

The energy of Ebott causes Ves's wings to return to full power and he flies gently into the sky. Once he eclipses the sun, a large ringing sound is heard as the world goes devoid of color, and for a moment… time appears to stop.

* * *

Kris opens his eyes and finds himself in his bed! He shoots awake and looks out the window.

It's night. He looks into the sky to see a star twinkling brighter than any other star. He turns back to see the soul in the cage. Upon making eye contact with it, it begins to twitch and tap the cage. He crawls back into bed and closes his eyes.

"… What a weird dream…"

* * *

 _Strange. . .  
The world. . .  
Has been restored. . .  
I had thought for sure. . .  
He would take the deal. . ._

 _How. . .  
Very. . .  
Interesting. . ._

 _The future. . .  
Is vague. . .  
And uncertain. . .  
Yet he chose this path. . ._

 _His magnificent creation. . .  
Has been discarded. . .  
And the stars sing death songs. . ._

 _This world will know pain. . .  
It will know darkness. . .  
Kris. . ._

* * *

 _Has learned nothing._

* * *

 **Author's Note:** _This has been "An Innocent Wish." A story I made with many ideas gathered from myself, many friends, and one friend in particular. This has been one of two potential endings. Thank you for reading, and perhaps give your thoughts on which of the two endings you like more._


	10. The Undertale of Ebott (Ending 2)

Deltarune: An Innocent Wish  
Chapter 9B: The Undertale of Ebott

* * *

Ves, bleeding and on his knees, looks into Kris's eyes, but his eyes are one of pity, his eyes watering.

 **"Kris…? The hell are you crying for?"** Ves growls, trying to stand up but wobbling.  
"Ves, why can't things go back to the way they were?" Kris asks.  
 **"Because the way things were, terrible things happened to good people. There was no justice, and the weak and pathetic would make wishes to change their world. You should know this more than anyone."** Ves explains deeply, the world around them growing darker. He coughs up blood and shambles forward, being caught by Kris.

 **"Kris. I'm sorry things didn't work out the way you wanted… but let me die… and the world will change for the better. Your wishes would all come true… you could be whoever you want, have friends that love you, or make enemies, and see them run before you… all in a world where you have final say… a story in a world of light, birthed by the darkness of the past…"** Ves explains, but Kris shakes his head.

Kris puts Ves gently on the ground and sighs. Ves looks up as life begins to leave his form.

"Guys. What if Ves is right?" Kris asks, causing all of them to walk over and circle the dying star.  
"What do you mean… right?" Noelle asks-  
"I mean, what if this new world **IS** better than the one we're leaving behind. I mean… I've never met another human in my life, and I'm so… so tired of feeling like an outcast all the time. It's… it's not like I want the same to happen to monsters- but like, what if Ves is right? What if this world truly **IS** everything he promised?" He asks. Everyone ponders as Ves coughs up blood with a smile on his face.

 **"I… promise… I've seen it… a world where humans build a thriving civilization… a world where monsters live far away from them, and live a happy life underground… Asgore… you and Toriel… would be the king and queen of monsterkind…"** He explains, causing Asgore to look shocked.

"Wh-What? Are you serious?"  
 **"I am… a human would fall, a human that… you will immediately know… is the meaning of peace. Their existence is ubiquitous, the monsters, while unhappy of their lot in life, would grow satisfied with their lives, much unlike the humans of this world. The human, raised by monsters… a story you all are familiar of… would mean so much more in a world where monsters were the downtrodden… it would give hope to the world… and your actions… Asgore… would… cause much pain."**

"Pain? I don't… I don't want to hurt anybody."  
 **"I'm sorry, but as king, you will make important decisions that would seem grizzly to most… but in the end… the love you hold for your children, your TRUEST love… it would shine through your past, and in the end… you… Toriel… and everyone underground would find a happy ending."  
** "This… world doesn't… sound so bad." He admits. Ves looks over to Susie and Noelle.  
 **"Susie… Noelle… your roles in this world were so important, and I'm sorry I dragged you into them. Perhaps… in the next world… I could move you to a simple, happy life. Both of you… Susie… I am sorry I took your belonging, Ebott will be different, I promise… and Noelle… you will learn everything you could ever need to about humans."** Ves explains, growing weak.

"I mean…" Noelle says.  
"I don't know…" Susie crosses her arms.

The last to step forward however, is the King.

"I will not have my people in debt to the Angel's Heaven." He says simply.  
 **"Please… surely you must remember the plights of your people. I will die… and become the foundation of the Lightners' world… I will never return to yours. You will return to the Darkner world, as the Fountain of Darkness tips the balance in the other direction… satisfying even the prophesy. Instead of a world of Light with small pockets of Darkness, it would be a world of Darkness with small pockets of Light… you have to trust me…"** He explains, his vision going blurry. The king grumbles but eventually nods.

"Very well. My people deserve a world to call their own, free of the Lightners." He says. As he does, they all look at each other over Ves.

"Guys. It's been a crazy as hell ride, but it's time we take a chance. Ebott could be what we're all looking for. A new start. New friends-" He says, looking at Susie.  
"-new experiences." He says, looking at Noelle.  
"-family…" He says, looking at Asgore and Lancer.  
"And most of all, hope." He finishes, looking at Ralsei and the King.

 **"But… there is but one warning."** Ves coughs, drawing their attention one last time as his life fades upon the grass.  
 **"This world… will not be perfect… no matter what I do… humans will be humans… monsters will be monsters… people will get hurt… people will die… but in the end, I truly mean it, there is an ending out there… where everyone is happy… Kris…"** He says, causing Kris to kneel down.

 **"Your sword… use it… to remove the red soul from my chest. Take it as your own… and use it to become… who you truly know yourself to be… Kris… this world, I leave to all of you…"** He closes his eyes and Kris stands up. He looks to everyone. With varying compliance, he stands over Ves and raises it over him.

He shoves the sword into Ves's chest and an explosion of light radiates outward, enveloping them all in warm energy.

* * *

Kris wakes up on a bed of golden flowers. He looks around. A distant memory, a feeling… it's all so muddy. He steps forward to be greeted by a surprised looking flower.

"Howdy!"

* * *

 _Strange. . .  
To go forwards. . .  
Young Kris has opted to go backwards. . ._

 _The world has been reformed. . .  
Once more. . .  
In the image of a naïve child. . ._

 _The wheel of fate. . .  
The wheel of time. . .  
It spins forever. . ._

 _It will repeat itself. . .  
Again. . .  
And again. . .  
And again. . ._

 _His magnificent creation. . .  
Has been discarded. . .  
And the monsters. . .  
No longer see the stars. . ._

 _This world of pain. . .  
Of darkness. . .  
Is a world I understand. . .  
Kris. . ._

 _Or should I say. . .  
Chara. . . ?  
Will learn. . ._

* * *

 _In time. . ._

* * *

 **Author's Note:** _This has been "An Innocent Wish." A story I made with many ideas gathered from myself, many friends, and one friend in particular. This has been one of two potential endings. Thank you for reading, and perhaps give your thoughts on which of the two endings you like more._


End file.
